carrier
/ˈkæriə(r)/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈkæriər/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈker-ē-ər ˈka-rē-/ (ame, mw)
carrier — 名詞
1. a person, company, or device that moves people, goods, or messages from one plac
運送者；載具
運送人、貨物或訊息的個人或裝置
a person, company, or device that moves people, goods, or messages from one place to another — for example, a postal worker delivering letters or a luggage rack on a bicycle.
The postal carrier delivers mail to our street every morning before nine.
郵務運送者每天早上九點前把信件送到我們這條街上。
postal carrier = mail-delivery worker
A luggage carrier on the bus held all the travelers' suitcases during the trip.
巴士上的行李架在旅途中放滿了旅客的行李箱。
luggage carrier = rack for bags
Our company hired a freight carrier to ship the furniture across the country.
我們公司雇用了一家貨運公司把家具運送到全國各地。
The bike carrier strapped onto the back of the car held two bicycles securely.
裝在車後的自行車架穩穩地固定住兩輛腳踏車。
When the package arrived, the carrier had left it by the front door.
包裹送達時，運送人員已經把它放在前門了。
- transporter
more formal and usually refers to a vehicle or company, not a person
- haulier
British English, specifically for goods transported by road
- bearer
formal, usually for documents, messages, or titles, not goods
- recipient
a person who receives what the carrier delivers
用法筆記
Frequently used in compound nouns such as mail carrier, luggage carrier, and freight carrier. The first word specifies what is being carried.
常見錯誤
2. a company that moves passengers or goods from place to place, especially an airl
航空業者
經營客運或貨運的運輸公司
a company that moves passengers or goods from place to place, especially an airline that operates flights between cities or countries.
Low-cost carriers offer cheaper tickets by reducing in-flight services.
廉價航空公司透過減少機上服務來提供更便宜的機票。
low-cost carrier = budget airline
The carrier announced new direct flights between Taipei and Osaka starting next month.
這家航空公司宣布從下個月開始新增台北與大阪之間的直飛航班。
Many travelers prefer a full-service carrier that includes meals and checked bags.
許多旅客偏好提供餐點及托運行李的全方位服務航空公司。
The shipping carrier lost two packages during the holiday rush last December.
這家貨運公司在去年耶誕購物季期間遺失了兩件包裹。
Is your preferred carrier flying to London via a stop in Dubai?
你常搭的航空公司有經杜拜轉機飛往倫敦的航班嗎？
用法筆記
Commonly modified by adjectives such as low-cost, budget, full-service, or flag (flag carrier = nationally owned airline). Often refers to airlines but also works for shipping and rail companies.
常見錯誤
3. a large vehicle, ship, or aircraft that the military uses to transport soldiers,
軍用運輸載具
運送士兵或裝備的軍用車輛或船艦
a large vehicle, ship, or aircraft that the military uses to transport soldiers, tanks, or equipment to where they are needed.
The army sent an armored personnel carrier to bring the soldiers safely to the base.
軍方派出了一輛裝甲運兵車，將士兵們安全送到基地。
armored personnel carrier = troop transport vehicle
A troop carrier landed on the beach and unloaded a dozen soldiers.
一艘部隊運輸船靠上海灘，放下十幾名士兵。
troop carrier = ship or vehicle for soldiers
The navy uses a helicopter carrier to transport aircraft and marines overseas.
海軍使用直升機運輸艦將飛機和海軍陸戰隊運送到海外。
During the exercise, heavy equipment carriers moved tanks across the river.
演習期間，重型裝備運輸車把坦克運過河。
The general ordered a carrier to transport the wounded soldiers to the field hospital.
將軍下令用一輛運輸車把傷兵送到野戰醫院。
- transport
shorter form used in military contexts (e.g. 'troop transport')
- transporter
more general; not limited to military vehicles
用法筆記
Almost always appears as part of a compound noun such as troop carrier, personnel carrier, or helicopter carrier. The compound tells you what the vehicle transports.
常見錯誤
4. an informal, shortened way of referring to an aircraft carrier — a large warship
航空母艦
航空母艦的簡稱（非正式用法）
an informal, shortened way of referring to an aircraft carrier — a large warship with a flat deck where military planes can take off and land.
The carrier sailed into the harbor with fifty fighter jets on its deck.
那艘航空母艦載著五十架戰鬥機駛入港灣。
carrier (informal) = aircraft carrier
Pilots train for months before they can land on a moving carrier at sea.
飛行員需要數個月的訓練才能在行進中的航母上降落。
Three navy carriers took part in the joint military exercise last spring.
去年春天，三艘海軍航空母艦參加了聯合軍事演習。
The crew on the carrier worked through the night to prepare jets for the mission.
航母上的組員徹夜工作，準備戰機執行任務。
- aircraft carrier
the full, formal term; use this in formal writing
- warship
broader category that includes carriers, destroyers, and battleships
用法筆記
Distinguish from sense 3 (MILITARY VEHICLE): sense 3 refers to vehicles that carry troops or equipment on land or sea, while this sense refers specifically to the aircraft carrier warship. Context like harbor, pilot, deck, or navy makes the meaning clear.
常見錯誤
5. a business that sells mobile phone and internet access to customers, letting the
電信業者
提供手機或網路服務的公司
a business that sells mobile phone and internet access to customers, letting them make calls, send texts, and go online.
My carrier sent a text message warning me that I was almost out of data.
我的電信業者傳了一則簡訊，提醒我的數據用量即將用完。
carrier = mobile network provider
Priya switched to a different carrier because the coverage in her area was poor.
Priya 換了一家電信商，因為原本那家在她住的地方收訊很差。
The carrier offers a family plan with four lines for a fixed monthly fee.
這家業者提供每月固定費率的家庭方案，含四條門號。
When you buy a phone from the carrier, it is usually locked to that network.
如果你從電信商那裡買手機，通常會被鎖定在那個網路。
The internet carrier restored service after the storm damaged the cables.
這家網路業者在暴風雨損壞電纜後恢復了服務。
用法筆記
Commonly called a 'network carrier' or 'mobile carrier' in business contexts. Customers 'switch carriers' when changing providers. A phone 'locked to a carrier' can only use that provider's SIM card.
常見錯誤
6. a bag made of paper or plastic, fitted with two handles, that stores give out so
購物袋；提袋
商店提供的有提把紙袋或塑膠袋
a bag made of paper or plastic, fitted with two handles, that stores give out so customers can carry away what they have bought.
The shop assistant put the books into a sturdy paper carrier with a logo.
店員把書放進一個印有商標的堅固紙袋裡。
paper carrier = paper shopping bag
Plastic carriers are no longer free at many supermarkets in Taiwan.
台灣許多超市的塑膠購物袋已不再免費提供。
Leila packed her groceries into two plastic carriers and walked home.
Leila 把雜貨裝進兩個塑膠提袋，走回了家。
The handles on the carrier broke, and all the fruit rolled onto the street.
提袋的把手斷了，所有水果都滾到了街上。
Aiko keeps a foldable carrier in her backpack for unexpected shopping trips.
Aiko 在後背包裡放了一個可折疊的購物袋，以備臨時購物之需。
- carrier bag
British English term; interchangeable with 'carrier'
- shopping bag
more common in American English
- tote bag
usually a stronger fabric bag, often reusable
用法筆記
Most common in British English. In American English, 'shopping bag' or 'paper bag' is more typical. Often called a 'carrier bag' in the UK.
7. an individual — human or animal — who carries a disease or a genetic condition i
帶原者；隱性
體內有病原或隱性基因但無症狀的可傳播者
an individual — human or animal — who carries a disease or a genetic condition inside their body and can transmit it to others, often without feeling ill or showing signs.
A carrier of the flu virus can infect others before feeling sick themselves.
流感病毒的帶原者在自己感到不適之前就可能傳染給他人。
carrier of the flu virus = asymptomatic transmitter
Genetic tests showed that Priya is a carrier of the sickle cell trait.
基因檢測顯示 Priya 是鐮狀細胞性狀的基因攜帶者。
carrier of the sickle cell trait = genetic carrier
Mosquitoes are carriers of malaria and can spread the disease through bites.
蚊子是瘧疾的帶原者，可透過叮咬傳播疾病。
The cat was a silent carrier and passed the infection to the other pets.
那隻貓是無症狀帶原者，並將感染傳給了其他寵物。
When both parents are carriers, the child may inherit the condition.
如果父母雙方都是帶原者，孩子可能會遺傳到這種疾病。
- transmitter
focuses on the act of passing something on, not the state of carrying
- vector
specifically an organism (like a mosquito) that carries and transmits a pathogen
- asymptomatic carrier
medical term for a carrier who shows no symptoms
- patient
someone who shows symptoms of the disease
- immune person
someone who cannot contract or transmit the disease
用法筆記
In medicine, a distinction exists between 'asymptomatic carrier' (has the infection but no symptoms) and 'genetic carrier' (has a recessive gene that may be passed to offspring). The word implies the potential to transmit, not necessarily that transmission occurs.